Genesis 33

Jacob meets Esau

1Jacob looked up and there was Esau, coming with his four hundred men; so he divided the children among Leah, Rachel and the two female servants. 2He put the female servants and their children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph in the rear. 3He himself went on ahead and bowed down to the ground seven times as he approached his brother.

4But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept. 5Then Esau looked up and saw the women and children. ‘Who are these with you?’ he asked.

Jacob answered, ‘They are the children God has graciously given your servant.’

6Then the female servants and their children approached and bowed down. 7Next, Leah and her children came and bowed down. Last of all came Joseph and Rachel, and they too bowed down.

8Esau asked, ‘What’s the meaning of all these flocks and herds I met?’

‘To find favour in your eyes, my lord,’ he said.

9But Esau said, ‘I already have plenty, my brother. Keep what you have for yourself.’

10‘No, please!’ said Jacob. ‘If I have found favour in your eyes, accept this gift from me. For to see your face is like seeing the face of God, now that you have received me favourably. 11Please accept the present that was brought to you, for God has been gracious to me and I have all I need.’ And because Jacob insisted, Esau accepted it.

12Then Esau said, ‘Let us be on our way; I’ll accompany you.’

13But Jacob said to him, ‘My lord knows that the children are tender and that I must care for the ewes and cows that are nursing their young. If they are driven hard just one day, all the animals will die. 14So let my lord go on ahead of his servant, while I move along slowly at the pace of the flocks and herds before me and the pace of the children, until I come to my lord in Seir.’

15Esau said, ‘Then let me leave some of my men with you.’

‘But why do that?’ Jacob asked. ‘Just let me find favour in the eyes of my lord.’

16So that day Esau started on his way back to Seir. 17Jacob, however, went to Sukkoth, where he built a place for himself and made shelters for his livestock. That is why the place is called Sukkoth.#33:17 Sukkoth means shelters.

18After Jacob came from Paddan Aram,#33:18 That is, North-west Mesopotamia he arrived safely at the city of Shechem in Canaan and camped within sight of the city. 19For a hundred pieces of silver,#33:19 Hebrew hundred kesitahs; a kesitah was a unit of money of unknown weight and value. he bought from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem, the plot of ground where he pitched his tent. 20There he set up an altar and called it El Elohe Israel.#33:20 El Elohe Israel can mean El is the God of Israel or mighty is the God of Israel.

The Holy Bible, New International Version® (Anglicised), NIV®

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Genesis 33

1And Ya’akov lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, ‘Esav (hairy) came, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Le’ah (weary; grieved), and unto Rachel (ewe), and unto the two handmaids.

2And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Le’ah and her children after, and Rachel (ewe) and Yosef (Increaser; May God the Powerful One add [Yah]) hindermost.

3And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

4And ‘Esav (hairy) ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.

5And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, Who [are] those with youi? And he said, The children which God-Elōhīm [The Living Word - The Many Powered] has graciously given youri servant.

6Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves.

7And Le’ah (weary; grieved) also with her children came near, and bowed themselves: and after came Yosef (Increaser; May God the Powerful One add [Yah]) near and Rachel, and they bowed themselves.

8And he said, What [mean] youi by all this drove which I met? And he said, [These are] to find grace in the sight of my lord.

9And ‘Esav (hairy) said, I have enough, my brother; keep that youi hast unto thyself.

10And Ya’akov (he who holds onto the heel of) said, No, I pray youi, if now I have found grace in youri sight, then receive my present at my hand: for therefore I have seen youri face, as though I had seen the face of God-Elōhīm [The Living Word - The Many Powered], and youi were pleased with me.

11Take, I pray youi, my blessing that is brought to youi; because God-Elōhīm [The Living Word - The Many Powered] has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough. And he urged him, and he took [it].

12And he said, Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go before youi.

13And he said unto him, My lord knows that the children [are] tender, and the flocks and herds with young [are] with me: and if men should overdrive them one day, all the flock will die.

14Let my lord, I pray youi, pass over before his servant: and I will lead on softly, according as the cattle that goes before me and the children be able to endure, until I come unto my lord unto Se’ir (hairy, shaggy; The Hairy Guys; riding the storm).

15And ‘Esav (hairy) said, Let me now leave with youi [some] of the folk that [are] with me. And he said, Why do I need it? let me find grace in the sight of my lord [“There’s no need for my lord to be so kind to me”].

16So ‘Esav (hairy) returned that day on his way unto Se’ir (hairy, shaggy; The Hairy Guys; riding the storm).

17And Ya’akov (he who holds onto the heel of) journeyed to Succoth, and built him an house, and made booths for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.

18And Ya’akov (he who holds onto the heel of) came to Shalem, a city of Sh’khem [back or shoulder, portion], which [is] in the land of Kena’an (merchant; trader; or that humbles and subdues), when he came from Paddan-aram (a place of height; field; plain); and pitched his tent before the city.

19And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor [male-donkey (ass)] (a donkey), Sh’khem’s [back or shoulder, portion] father, for an hundred pieces of money.

20And he erected there an altar, and called it El-elohe-Isra’el [God-EL, the Mighty God of Isra’el-Prince with God].

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